Atlanta Jewish Times: A Local Guide to Atlanta’s Jewish Community, Culture, and News

The Atlanta Jewish Times (AJT) is one of the core news and community resources for Jewish life in Atlanta, Georgia. Whether you live in the city, are new to the area, or are just visiting and want to connect with local Jewish events, the AJT is often where people start.

This guide explains what the Atlanta Jewish Times is, how it serves Atlanta residents, and how you can use it to better navigate Jewish life, culture, and time-sensitive happenings across the metro area.

What Is the Atlanta Jewish Times?

The Atlanta Jewish Times is a local Jewish newspaper and media outlet focused on:

• News and issues affecting the Jewish community in metro Atlanta
• Local synagogue and organizational updates
• Features on Atlanta Jewish schools, nonprofits, and culture
• Coverage of Jewish holidays and community events

It serves as a hub of information for Jewish Atlantans and anyone interested in Jewish life in the city, often blending local reporting, opinion pieces, event listings, and community notices.

Print, Digital, and Timing

The AJT typically offers:

• Print editions – delivered to subscribers or available at certain Jewish institutions
• Digital content – articles, event calendars, and community announcements online
• Time-sensitive updates – especially around elections, major community changes, and holidays

For many residents, the AJT functions as a weekly or regular touchpoint with what’s happening in Jewish Atlanta, similar to how neighborhood papers help people keep track of hyperlocal news.

How the Atlanta Jewish Times Fits Into Life in Atlanta

Living in Atlanta means navigating a large, spread-out metro area. Jewish life is centered in multiple neighborhoods and suburbs—like Toco Hills, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, and East Cobb—which can make it hard to know what’s happening where.

The Atlanta Jewish Times helps by:

• Centralizing information from synagogues, schools, and organizations
• Highlighting time-based events (services, lectures, holiday programs)
• Offering context for local, national, and international topics from a Jewish Atlanta perspective

If you’re trying to understand Jewish time and rhythms in Atlanta—Shabbat, holidays, school calendars, or community seasons—the AJT is a consistent reference point.

Key Ways Atlanta Residents Use the Atlanta Jewish Times

1. Keeping Up With Local Jewish News

You’ll often find coverage on:

• Leadership changes at Atlanta synagogues and institutions
• Construction, expansions, or moves of Jewish schools and community centers
• Local response to national and international events affecting Jewish people
• Legislative issues that matter to Atlanta’s Jewish community

This is especially useful if you:

• Recently moved to Atlanta and want to understand who’s who locally
• Live in one part of the metro area but want to know what’s happening in others
• Prefer Atlanta-focused Jewish news rather than national coverage only

2. Finding Jewish Events and Programs in Atlanta

The AJT typically highlights time-specific events, such as:

• Shabbat and holiday programs at synagogues around the city
• Lectures, film screenings, and cultural events at places like the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA)
• Fundraisers, galas, and community service days
• Teen, college, and young professional programs

These listings are especially helpful before:

• Major holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Hanukkah)
• School breaks and summer (camps, youth programs, family activities)
• Community-wide observances and memorials

If you’re visiting Atlanta, scanning recent AJT event listings can help you quickly find services or programs that match your schedule.

Using the AJT to Navigate Jewish Time in Atlanta

The sub-category of “Time” is especially relevant with the Atlanta Jewish Times because so much of Jewish life is calendar-based. The AJT helps Atlanta residents keep track of:

Shabbat Times and Candle Lighting in Atlanta

Because Jewish law ties Shabbat and holidays to sunset in your location, Atlanta’s times differ from other cities. Many community members look to the AJT for:

• Candle lighting times for Friday evenings in Atlanta
• Havdalah times (when Shabbat ends)
• Reminders of early or late Shabbat in different seasons

While many people use apps or synagogue bulletins, the AJT provides a central, Atlanta-specific reference, which is helpful if you’re planning:

• Travel around Shabbat
• Inviting guests to meals or services
• Attending time-sensitive programs Friday night or Saturday

Jewish Holiday Schedules and Local Observances

The Atlanta Jewish Times also helps Atlantans keep track of when holidays fall and how they’re observed locally, including:

• High Holy Days (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur)
• Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah
• Purim megillah readings and parties
• Passover seders and communal events
• Shavuot learning programs

You’ll usually see:

• Community-wide guides to High Holy Day services
• Roundups of public menorah lightings or Purim events
• Notices about special traffic, security, or schedule changes impacting major synagogues and institutions

This is especially useful in Atlanta, where traffic and distance between neighborhoods make timing and planning crucial.

Community Connections and Local Institutions

The AJT often highlights and connects to major pillars of Jewish life in Atlanta. While details may change over time, some commonly featured types of organizations include:

Synagogues

Across the Atlanta metro area, the AJT regularly mentions:

• Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, and independent congregations
• Synagogues clustered in Toco Hills, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Brookhaven
• New minyanim, leadership updates, building projects, and special programs

For someone new to town, the AJT’s features and ads can provide a first map of where synagogues are and what their communities are like.

Jewish Schools and Education

Families in Atlanta often look to the AJT for:

• Updates on day schools and preschools
• Open house dates, information nights, and enrollment timelines
• Youth education programs and after-school activities

Timing is key here—many schools in Atlanta have strict admissions cycles, and AJT coverage can help you avoid missing deadlines.

Community Centers and Social Services

The paper often includes information about:

• Programs at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) in Dunwoody
• Local Jewish social service agencies that assist with counseling, senior services, food support, or financial assistance
• Volunteer opportunities tied to specific dates and times

This makes the AJT a practical tool for planning your calendar of community involvement.

Typical Content Sections You Might See

While exact structure can vary, readers in Atlanta commonly use the following kinds of sections:

Knowing these sections helps you quickly find what you need, especially if you’re short on time before a holiday or event.

Where the Atlanta Jewish Times Fits Among Other Atlanta Resources

If you live in or are visiting Atlanta, you might be using several sources to keep track of Jewish time and events:

• Synagogue bulletins for detailed schedules at a specific congregation
• Community centers (like MJCCA) for programs and recreation
• Local directories for service times and organization contact information
• Digital calendars or apps for candle lighting and halachic times

The AJT acts as a crossroads between these, offering:

• A bigger-picture view of what’s happening across the metro
• A way to compare options for events or programs on the same day
• City-specific timing and context, especially useful if you’re traveling from another city and may be used to different schedules

Many Atlantans use the AJT together with synagogue emails and social media, especially during busy seasons like the High Holy Days or Passover.

Practical Tips for Using the Atlanta Jewish Times in Atlanta

Here are some straightforward ways to get the most value out of the AJT if you’re in or around Atlanta:

• Plan ahead around holidays 🕯️
  In the weeks before major holidays, check AJT coverage to see when local synagogues are holding services, special programs, or kids’ activities.

• Check timing before you drive
  Atlanta traffic can significantly affect your travel time. Look at event start and end times in the AJT and give yourself extra cushion, especially on Friday afternoons in winter when candle lighting is early.

• Use it to explore new neighborhoods
  If you’ve only spent time in one part of Atlanta, use AJT event listings and synagogue features to discover Jewish life in other areas like Sandy Springs or Toco Hills.

• Watch for recurring series
  Lecture series, film festivals, and recurring classes often run over several weeks. The AJT can help you track when they start and finish so you don’t miss the first session.

• Look up contacts for follow‑up
  Most event listings include a contact person or office number/email. If you’re unsure about accessibility, child care, security, or exact timing, reach out directly using the info provided.

If You’re New to Atlanta or Just Visiting

For newcomers or visitors, the Atlanta Jewish Times is often:

• A first orientation tool to see which organizations are active
• A way to find Shabbat services or holiday observances that work with your schedule
• A guide to the timing of community life—when programs usually happen, when schools are in session, and when big communal events tend to take place

If you’ll be in Atlanta over a weekend or holiday:

1. Check the latest AJT calendar for Friday night and Saturday morning options.
2. Note candle lighting and havdalah times for the specific dates you’re here.
3. Identify events or services near where you’re staying—distances across the metro can be significant.
4. Call the listed office or synagogue to confirm guests are welcome and to verify times.

By paying attention to these time-based details, you can integrate smoothly into Atlanta’s Jewish rhythm, whether for a day, a season, or long term.

The Atlanta Jewish Times is more than just a newspaper; for many Atlanta residents it functions as a living calendar and community guide, helping people stay aligned with Jewish time, Jewish life, and Jewish experiences across the city and its suburbs.